Offensive Improvement overshadowed in Stallions’ Blowout Loss to Defenders
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - April 25, 2026
By Steve Irvine
The quarterback switch jumpstarted the Birmingham Stallions offense on Friday night. But it didn’t change the final result.
With less than three days of full practice with his new team, Dorian Thompson-Robinson accounted for 356 yards in total offense and three touchdowns but the Stallions still saw their losing streak extend to four games with the 45-28 loss to the defending UFL champion DC Defenders.
It certainly wasn’t a spotless game for Thompson-Robinson, who threw a couple of interceptions, both on tipped passes, and was sacked on 4th-and-21 from the Stallions 41-yard line to set up the Defenders for a short scoring drive in the second quarter. But considering his final numbers – 28-of-43 passing for 313 yards with two touchdowns and 43 yards rushing with a 12-yard touchdown run – and the short time to prepare for his first UFL start it is hard to be disappointed in his play.
“We're going to get better and better,” said Stallions head coach AJ McCarron, whose team was shut out last week by the Orlando Storm with Matt Corral as the starting quarterback. “Really, it was technically about 2 ½ days of practice. I mean, we had a walkthrough the first day. But you can see it. He has command of the huddle. It's all the things I talked about that were needed. I thought of him as a vet, being in an NFL huddle for so many years, that's something you look forward to. The preparation is there. I was super proud of him. We just had some bad luck on some plays. You clean those, it's a clean those up, it's a different ballgame.”
It started on Birmingham’s first drive with the Stallions (1-4) trying to match the Defenders game-opening touchdown drive. Thompson-Robinson crisply moved the offense down the field – throwing for 18 and rushing for 24 more – and had the Stallions facing first down from the DC 10-yard. But the drive ended when Bryce Thompson jumped into the passing lane and tipped the ball in the air. Teammate Deontay Anderson made the interception at the 5-yard line.
The Defenders (4-1) eventually built the lead to 21-6 with touchdown drives covering 28, 33 and 45 yards. The Stallions touchdown came on a 12-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Deon Cain but it was followed by a missed extra point by Anders Carlson. The Stallions took momentum into the halftime locker room following an 11-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Thompson-Robinson with 24 seconds left in the half.
The Stallions came out on the opening drive and scooted 68 yards on just four plays. The drive started with a 19-yard run by Snoop Conner and continued with a 41-yard pass from Thompson-Robinson to Daewood Davis and a 7-yard run by Thompson-Robinson to the 1-yard line. Conner closed out the drive with a 1-yard scoring run by the 2-point pass attempt failed, leaving DC with a 21-19.
From that point on, though, Defenders quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and the DC offense dominated the game. The Stallions had no answer for Ta’amu, who finished the game with 275 passing yards and four touchdowns. The DC defense also came up with a key defensive play when cornerback Gareon Conley tipped a pass into the air and grabbed it.
Thompson-Robinson completed passes to eight receivers with Jaydon Mickens grabbing nine passes for 107 yards. Mickens also lost a fumble in the second quarter.